The other day, I saw these two quotations while I was at work."A ship is safe in harbor, but that's not what ships are for."
William Shedd
"What great thing would you attempt if you knew you could not fail?" ~Robert H. Schuller
They've been in plain view for years, but because I am so busy getting my work done, I never saw them. They made me think.
So often, in the past, I've leaned toward safety. The past few days (after seeing those quotations) have made me think about how the older I get, the less willing I am to take risks. I can say I tried the past year to take some risks, but I find myself right back where I was this time last year, only more frustrated and much more itchier for change. But I stick with my comfort zone.
I guess that is human nature.
It is plausible that at the end of a long year filled with a world of hurt and a birthday that reminded me that the next decade of my life is in view, that I am just more contemplative than usual. I dunno.
While I find the Shedd's quote to be so true and an eye-opener about our lives being fastened to our comfort zones, I don't think I could answer Shuller's question.
It seems impossible to do so. So, I've just been thinking a lot. If I come up with an answer. I'll let you know. However, after constantly feeling like a dog bopped on the nose with a newpaper, I'm not sure that I can.
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"Our lives improve only when we take chances - and the first and most difficult risk we can take is to be honest with ourselves. "--Walter Anderson
"Progress always involves risks. You can't steal second base and keep your foot on first."--Frederick B. Wilcox
"You'll always miss 100% of the shots you don't take." --Wayne Gretzky
"Take risks: if you win, you will be happy; if you lose, you will be wise."--Author Unknown
"The healthy being craves an occasional wildness, a jolt from normality, a sharpening of the edge of appetite, his own little festival of the Saturnalia, a brief excursion from his way of life." --Robert MacIver
10 comments:
Pretty much all they're trying to say is "a turtle does not progess unless he sticks his neck out."
Merry Christmas RT. You're a wonderful internet friend.
RT, on this one, "Take risks: if you win, you will be happy; if you lose, you will be wise."--Author Unknown I have seen it with a tag of "Otherwise you will never know what might have been".
Over my desk I have the following:
"No one is shooting at me; no decision I make today may kill someone; and there is always tomorrow."
When the stress levels start to elevate, I just look up, see that and remember days when I've been on the other side of all three... kinda puts things back in perspective!
Merry New year, Happy Christmas and all that other PC garbage... :-)
Yep; it's human nature; I was indestructible at 22. I am breakable at 46. I take care now.
Nice quote by The Great One - my personal hero.
Skul:
Thank you, Skul. :)
Merry Christmas to you, too.
NFO:
You're right.
Merry Christmas to you as well.
Admiral:
Yeah. My spirit doesn't seem to spring back like it used to.
Wyatt:
Yep. I liked that quotation.
Eagles soar... but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.
You are a twisted, man, Mr. Dill. ;P
Came over on SoHos' link.
"It is plausible that at the end of a long year filled with a world of hurt and a birthday that reminded me that the next decade of my life is in view, that I am just more contemplative than usual. I dunno."
Sounds like you and I had a similar year. I hope you find some of the answers...I think I have, which includes doing hard things even if I have little hope for a positive return for my efforts. Your masthead quote says it all.
"What great thing would you attempt if you knew you could not fail?"
Nothing. Nothing at all whatsoever. The rest of the quotes pretty summed up why.
Without failure there is no learning, no growth, no purpose in life.
The Gretzky quote is the best one.
IAP:
I have no answers. That's all I can say, really. I'm open to positive change, but it seems very elusive at times.
Fiar:
Maybe it is an invitation to not be afraid to fail, because that is our "tutor."
I tend to miss 100 percent of the shots I do take, though.
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